In a competitive job market, some job seekers are turning to dating apps to build professional networks and uncover new career opportunities.

According to a survey, Resume Builder,’ despite efforts of some dating app companies to discourage people from using the platforms to make business connections, one in 10 people primarily use dating apps for professional networking.

It revealed that one-third of workers have had a romantic relationship with a colleague. Three-quarters of dating app users said they intentionally matched with people in specific roles, while 66 per cent targeted matches who worked at prestigious companies.

Resume Builder’s chief career adviser, Stacie Haller, said more professionals, especially higher earners, are turning to dating apps as networking tools.

She revealed that with fierce competition on LinkedIn, dating apps provided a more personal way to build rapport and get results.According to her, in industries where social capital drives success, turning a match into a career connection is strategic relationship building.

Noting that the strategy was working for many, the survey said that 43 per cent said they gained valuable career advice or mentorship from people they matched with on dating apps, while 39 per cent secured a job interview, and 37 per cent received a job offer.

Nearly a third (29 per cent) of workers have used or considered using dating apps for career purposes, according to another survey, a Glassdoor poll.

Responding to Glassdoor’s poll, one senior manager said they had “been on dates where we realised there was no romantic chemistry but were already there, so it turned into a networking interaction.”

Another person whose professional life has benefited from a dating app connection is Marie Incontrera.
She went on an OKCupid date in 2014 with a woman who later helped her launch her public relations (PR) consultancy, Incontrera Consulting.

She revealed that although the relationship did not become serious, her date introduced her to contacts, who later became clients and invited her to networking events.

“It just happened by chance,” Incontrera said, adding that she had initially been looking for a romantic relationship online.

Meanwhile, as workers use online matchmaking platforms to grow their networks, experts warn that human resources (HR) must manage risks of favouritism and power imbalances.
On blurring the boundary between the personal and professional, Incontrera said she believes professional connections formed through dating apps could work well.

However, Hannah Strawbridge, executive director at business law specialists Inspire Legal, said she has seen cases where referrals or hiring decisions linked to romantic or personal relationships “unravel into grievances, harassment allegations and claims of favouritism once things go wrong”.

Elizabeth Maxwell, associate solicitor at Morr & Co., argued that HR teams should assess whether the referring employee exerted undue influence, whether the candidate felt pressured to pursue or maintain the relationship for career gain, and whether the process disadvantaged others.

“This is especially acute where there is a power imbalance, such as referrals from senior staff or partners, raising concerns around coercion and the potential for harassment claims,” she said.